After the War
by Cero Oscuras
Summary: Post-423, takes place after the time jump. Rated T for language and some violence. Read and Review and you get a cookie. IchiRuki. Multi-Chapter. Complete. Sequel Coming Soon.
1. Return

**Hey y'all,**

**So after about a year I'm back to writing. I was mad busy with work, school, and getting married and that is why my old stories have been deleted. I figure starting with something new would be easier than getting back into the same mindset I had a year ago writing Guidance and After Aizen. I have a new joint for you guys, but I have a couple things to say first.**

**My main reason for getting back into bleach fics is that the fandom seems to have taken a downhill turn with the advent of the fullbring arc, which I find very interesting but hard to write for and not really worth discussing. Decide was also a huge blow to the ichiruki fandom since we now haven't seen our favorite midget for about six months. Since Decide, has been flooded with bad AU fics that are really just original short stories by (usually great) authors who just can't think of their own characters and weird short fics about texting and Facebook. Gone are the great post-SS oneshots and alternate Winter War endings. I think a lot of us are just waiting for the fullbring arc to be over so we know the state of Ichigo's powers, but I think we can assume two things about Bleach based on Kubo's style and desire to please his fans.**

**1.) Ichigo will be back to normal with his fullbring either being a bankai extension or just how he gets his normal powers back. Everything will go back to how it was before the fake Karakura arc.**

**2.) Rukia is coming back.**

**So, writers of ichiruki fics, please don't let the current manga arc discourage you from making the same awesome content that we were producing before Aizen's defeat. Forget about fullbring, bring Ichigo's powers back, and write great fics starring our favorite couple.**

**Best Regards,**

**Cero Oscuras**

**Before I begin, a few notes:**

**1. I'll probably break my pattern of bringing Masaki back, so don't expect to see her in this fic. She's too difficult to write.**

**2. If you are coming here because you liked my previous fics or still had me on author alert, I freaking love you. Drop a review so I can say hi.**

**3. I don't write often or update unless I get reviews. Just ask my wife, I need to be told that my work is good to continue it. If you are primarily a reader, authors fricking love reviews. We spend a lot of time on these stories and it bums me out when I see a great story or oneshot collection that has like 13 reviews. Spend a few minutes to tell your favorite authors that you care. We love reviews. So much. Almost as much as Rukia loves Chappy. Like same reaction. No lie. Fellow authors, you know what I mean.**

**4. Just to say it again, if you came here off an author alert I love you. If you're new to my stuff I love you. And I'm sorry I killed my old stories. Won't happen again. I miss you guys.**

**Well that's it. If it sounded harsh towards the Bleach fandom I apologize, it wasn't the intention but typing doesn't communicate tone or inflection. Most of the time my AN's are shorter and sweeter :). Also, I'm writing this using quickoffice on my Infuse so forgive me if the formatting is weird. And this is fic assumes that the fullbring arc doesn't happen. Once that arc is finished I may go back and work it into the story. Anyway, here's the story...enjoy.**

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><p>Ichigo stared at Tensa Zangetsu in his hand. He was clad in a slim-fitting black jacket with red lining and matching black hakama, and dark waves of reiatsu burst forth from his body like a fountain with a pressure problem.<p>

"I guess...my powers really are back..."

A fan struck the side of his head, meeting his jaw with a loud smack. "Well of course they are, silly daiko-san, I told you that if your reiatsu somehow returned then your powers would come back naturally. I suppose contact with reiatsu-wielding beings like your sisters and your friends sparked your powers, just as you once sparked theirs."

Ichigo scowled, still fuming at the flaky shopkeeper for hitting him and wondering why he ever put up with Kisuke Urahara's wacky antics in the first place. He swung at the man, who deftly dodged the blow and continued to chuckle at Ichigo, who had nearly fallen over from putting so much into the punch.

"My, my, a little feisty are we? You should never attack an unarmed opponent, Ichigo-san." Kisuke said as he separated his walking stick ever so slightly, his eyes flashing under his hat.

"Sing, Benihime."

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><p>Ichigo and Urahara both stood panting, each covered in scratches and bruises but otherwise unharmed. Zangetsu and Benihime both hung at each swordsman's side, Zangetsu now in shikai after the fierce sparring.<p>

"It seems," the shopkeeper began, parsing words between heavy breaths, "that your training in the Dangai Precipice world was not in vain."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, exasperated at Kisuke's bipolarity between goofy perverted shopkeeper and learned scientist. "And what is that supposed to mean, geta-boshi?"

"It seems that your shunpo and Gestuga Tensho increased greatly in speed when you activated your Vizard powers," he began before he flipped open his fan in front of his face and continued speaking, now in a cheery tone "you even forced me to use Benihime's blood mist shield a few times, and that rarely happens even when I spar with that cat over there." He was referring of course to Yoruichi, who was currently basking in the artificial sun on a nearby rock. Ichigo chewed this new information over in his head for a moment before realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Holy shit! I'm a shinigami again!" He shouted, earning a puzzled look from Urahara and waking the sleeping Goddess of Flash, who transformed in surprise, falling a few feet off of the rock onto her rear. Urahara looked away from Ichigo for a moment.

"Yoruichi-sama, it would be a crime to damage such a finely shaped as-" He was cut off by a hand appearing out of nowhere to smack him, and an angry, naked Yoruichi standing in front of him with arms crossed, speaking in a harsh whisper that Ichigo could (unfortunately) overhear.

"Make fun of me again and it'll be the last you see of this ass!" she growled and turned on her heel, coming face to face with a shocked teenage shinigami. Yoruichi playfully tapped his face twice with one hand, uncovering herself in the process and eliciting a nosebleed from both males. "Awww, innocent little Ichigo." she purred, before flash stepping away, giggling to herself. "That never gets old."

Once the two men had recovered, Ichigo finally remembered his original train of thought.

"Oi, geta-boshi, how do I open a gate to Soul Society?"

Urahara smiled. "And why ever would you wish to do that, Kurosaki-san?"

The orange-haired shinigami averted his gaze, scowling slightly and scratching the back of his head. "Ya know...just...in case I ever have to open one."

Unsheathing Benihime's sealed blade Urahara grinned as he thrust forward and twisted his zanpakuto. "Ah, like this!" he exclaimed as he shoved Ichigo through the just-opened gate, smiling the whole time and giggling to himself. "Ooooh, I just ruined someone's day!" He said brightly as he went off to find Yoruichi.

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><p>Ichigo wailed as he sailed out of the other side of the gate, crashing into some <em>idiot<em> that happened to be in his way.

"Watch it, dumbass! Do you make it a point to walk into the path of opening gates!" He yelled at the shinigami he had collided with, whose body parts he currently was having trouble distinguishing from his own. But when that "dumbass" untangled himself from Ichigo, the young shinigami's face paled.

"Kurosaki, what are you doing here?" The taller man asked, brushing dust off of his shoulder, "I was under the impression that you were currently...indisposed."

"B-b-Byakuya!"

The older man would have rolled his eyes were he not a _noble, _but the Kuchiki family did not stoop to such lowbrow expressions of annoyance. Despite being the savior of several worlds, Kurosaki Ichigo was only worth two more words today.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura."

Ichigo had never moved faster.

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><p>A small slip of a girl turned under the sheets that were clinging to her tiny frame. She awoke, sighed, and got out of bed, glancing at herself in the mirror long enough to see that her hair was messy and her robe was slightly open. She blushed despite being alone, thinking that she would have to remember to get sleeping clothes that accommodated her "changing body", as a maidservant had said it. The memory irritated her, and she stepped into the bathroom with a scowl. She hadn't slept well last night. Hell, she hadn't slept well in almost a year and a half. She untied and removed her robe in a motion that was somehow just as mechanical as it was graceful, and stepped into the bath that was drawn for her at the same time each morning. She both loved and hated this time, as she was left to her thoughts with no distractions. She often used this time to prepare herself mentally, but on days like today she tended to remember a short but simple time in her life, when waking up meant climbing out of a closet and fighting with a certain 15-year-old for the bathroom, putting on a cute uniform and going to learn about a world she barely knew. Rukia sighed. She missed those days, and she missed the friends she had made in her time in the world of the living. But most of all she missed…<p>

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><p>"Oi, Ichigo! Let's have a grand battle! I want to fight your hollow!"<p>

"Ichi Ichi, fight Ken-chan!"

"NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!" Screamed Ichigo as he tore through the Seireitei, dodging glittering, deadly sakura petals and now being chased by Kenpachi as well. "WHY THE HELL DID I BOTHER COMING BACK!" Byakuya followed, walking gracefully and subtly guiding the petals with his hands, the very hint of a smile on his face. Ichigo kicked off a wall and turned sharply around a corner, petals close behind. Had he been paying attention to where he was going, he would have noticed that this was an area of Seireitei he had never visited before.

"Kenny! We lost Ichi again!"

"Don't worry Yachiru, we'll find him soon"

They took off running in the wrong direction, Yachiru pointing the way from atop Kenpachi's shoulder.

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><p>Rukia finished drying her hair, once again content to have all in order except for a stray bang that fell between her deep violet eyes. She tied her shinigami robes and placed Sode no Shirayuki under her obi. She walked out to her balcony, planning on jumping out and practicing her shunpo on the way to the thirteenth division. What she saw was utter chaos. Her jaw dropped before she felt a huge smile forming on her face.<p>

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><p>Ichigo had finally gotten sick of running, now occasionally turning to fire off a Getsuga Tensho. Byakuya was alternating between firing off Hado #4 and shielding himself with Senbonzakura. Finally one of the streaks of white lightning hit Ichigo square in the chest, sending him flying across the lawn on which they fought, and into a nearby building. After sheathing his sword, Byakuya realized where they had ended up, and inwardly cursed.<p>

Rukia deftly stepped aside as a ball of black, white, and orange flew through her balcony door and landed on her bed with a soft thud. She quickly turned and rushed inside, earning a relieved look and one spoken word from the bruised shinigami now sitting up on the mattress.

"Yo."

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><p><strong>That's it for Chapter 1. It's short, and probably the shortest chapter you will see from me. I feel like everyone has had Rukia go back to see Ichigo, so I thought I would flip it. I wanted their reunion to be sort of accidental so this is what I came up with. Expect more either tonight or tomorrow, but I hope you liked the intro! Again, any typing or formatting errors are probably due to the fact that this was written on my phone. Whether you liked it or not, drop me a review! I miss hearing from you guys! See you soon!<strong>

**-Cero Oscuras**

**Seriously, review. I'm going to work and I need something to cheer me up while I help people buy cell phones for 4 year olds.**


	2. Reunion

**GAHHH! I feel kind of stupid because somehow the first paragraph of chapter one survived my original edits (I mentioned fullbring in the first draft, and this story clearly ignores it. I also called Ichigo's shunpo "sonido" because in the original draft he had acquired some new hollow powers). Anyway, that's all fixed now, but nothing's changed enough to really require a re-read. **

**15 reviews in 8 hours is pretty impressive if I do say so myself. Keep it up and I'll keep updating this frequently.**

**Thank you Zangetsu50, mindpearl, thmarth, cmcwiki, Fallen-Yuki, KitElizaKing, Winly Elric, chappy1000, LeftHRyder, The Sociopathism of Trees, daiyana, KrAzI JaY, BosRonald, Twan, and pinky357 for adding story alerts. **

**I know a lot of you have (or had) me on author alert so thanks all of you!**

**kuchikirukia07, Davaro, and kizutsu all decided to favorite this story, and I hope I can earn those adds.**

**Next come review responses. The way I do these is that I respond to the reviews I receive while writing a chapter. If you review chapter 1 and I'm writing chapter 7, you will get a response but it will be in chapter 7. I don't usually do private responses but I do respond to PM's. Repeat reviewers are my best friends, so please don't stop!**

**Zangetsu50: Thanks! Your review described itself! Glad you're back!**

**Elin-usamichan95: It's fixed. I originally gave Ichigo the ability to use sonido while in fullbring (just like he can in resurreccion) but I scrapped that whole aspect of his abilities. Since I wrote the last chapter on my phone, that got overlooked. Thanks for the catch.**

**lightanddarktwilight: Thanks, I'm glad to be back! And I'm glad I'm not dead!**

**JD: Register, man! I'm glad someone else noticed the spiral. I love multi-chapter fics and the state of this site has been sad since 423. Sometimes I look at Kubo's IchiRuki Honeymoon Spread just to remind myself that he will bring her back!**

**DarkJason: Yes, my thumbs were up (and unmovable) after writing that on my phone! I'm glad you liked the premise, and I'm glad you are still here!**

**thmarth: First: I'm glad I have another reader agreeing on the matter! Second: Thanks! Third: Thank you for reminding me to address this, which I will do at the end of these responses. Last: Rukia berating respectable Nii-sama? I guess we'll see!**

**Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius: Aizawa? I remember you! Yep I wanted to show that Rukia had changed in appearance just like Inoue, Tatsuki, Ishida, Chad, and Ichigo. I'll be sure to do my best!**

**cmcwiki: I'm glad for the attention and the alert!**

**Davaro: Thanks! I like your review!**

**Fallen-Yuki: Glad you like it! I took my old stuff down but this will be better!**

**KitElizaKing: My goal was to skip all of the "Aww I'm Ichigo I'm so sad I miss my powers" crap and give them back to him right away. It'll be a wild ride! I'm glad to see someone else liked the Urahara mega-shove haha!**

**yukifalls: Hmmm, first Fallen-Yuki and now yukifalls! I'm glad I cheered you up!**

**hinataellis: I like Ichigo too? Haha.**

**Chappy1000: Another old fan! I'm glad I cheered you up and I hope this chapter does the same!**

**LeftHRyder: Welcome to Bleach fandom! **

**The Sociopathism of Trees: I totally agree! Thanks for the support!**

**Bleachfan1015: Your wish is my command! Here's the update!**

**Twan: Thanks! And I don't mind that you don't do Author Alerts, honestly I like alerts but I LOVE reviews!**

**You guys are all the best fans ever, and I can't wait to hear what you think of this chapter!**

**Alright, a couple things before we get started:**

**1. I was originally going to put explanations of Japanese and Bleach-y words at the end of each chapter. In the interest of saving myself time and a lot of looking at the Bleach wiki (which I already do enough while writing), I'm just going to say this and be done with it:**

**IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND A WORD OR A PHRASE, GOOGLE IT!**

**That's what Google is for.**

**2. I use terms from both the manga scanlations and the English anime dub. I do not use anime filler as it is not technically canon. I will stick to all canon prior to 423, but anything after that is fair game. If you PM me about "breaking canon" or needing to put an AU tag on my story, I will club a baby seal. I will not enjoy clubbing the baby seal as this is an atrocity against nature. However, AU tags are for stories that drastically change the Bleach storyline or character relationships (e.g. Byakuya is Rukia's biological brother and they grow up next to Ichigo and they are childhood friends who pretend to be shinigami in small-town Ohio), not for slight tweaks or omissions. **

**TL;DR: If you PM me about breaking canon I will laugh at you. You know who you are. Got it? Good.**

**3. I want to remind you all of two things that will give you a nice IchiRuki fix**

**1. The looks in 423. So much longing. They could have given Isshin grandbabies with their eyes.**

**2. The 2011 Calendar Honeymoon Spread. If you haven't seen this I uploaded it to imgur so you may bask in its IchiRuki glory. It's imgur dot com slash zWswE dot jpg . You can't post links in fanfics, sorry! This is genuine Kubo art, but you already knew that. **

**Alright, so my AN's are not always this long. Except when I begin a story XD. This chapter is going to be fairly light as I'm really just bridging a gap and laying down framework for the story that I want to tell. Anyway, without further ado, here is chapter two.**

**Oh and by the way, I don't own Bleach**

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><p>The room was eerily still as Rukia ever-so-cautiously stepped towards Ichigo. She observed his small grin on his face, his seated position on the bed, and Zangetsu beside him; she felt as though if she exhaled it would cause the whole scene to break apart, that this was another dream, that he would start screaming in pain and fall to the ground as he did after fighting Aizen – losing his powers all over again.<p>

"Oi, don't take so long to speak up." Ichigo said lightheartedly as he stood from the bed. Rukia took two quick steps towards him then stopped short, just 8 inches from the substitute that towered over her, the morning light filtering in through the rice-paper windows and open balcony door illuminating Ichigo like some kind of angel. It wasn't until she felt a hand under her chin that she realized she had shut her eyes. "You didn't come visit." Ichigo stated matter-of-factly, his voice not betraying the hurt that his eyes surely displayed as he lifted her chin to face him. "Everyone missed you – Chad, Inoue, Ishida – Hell, Keigo wouldn't shut up about you, and then I had Yuzu –"

"Are you real?" Rukia interrupted, cautiously lifting a hand towards her friend's face, "Are you really Ichigo?"

He let her brush his cheek with her fingertips, and he felt a blush creeping up his face as he thought about her soft –_impossibly_ soft – fingers running down his jawline. He lightly grabbed her wrist, removing her hand from his face and looking straight into deep violet orbs. "Of course I'm real, your homicidal brother figured that out when I crashed into him after that moron of a shopkeeper threw me into Soul Society!"

"Nii-sama is a noble and you should respect him! I'm sure you did something to make him angry!" she spat, her countenance suddenly changing to one of undying defense for Byakuya, "He wouldn't attack someone for no reason!"

"He's just pissed that I beat him back when I saved your sorry midget ass!"

"Don't call me midget! I grew over a centimeter this year!"

"You still look damn short to me!" The taller of the two placed a large palm on top of the Kuchiki princess's head.

"You…you asshole!" She yelled, followed by "Bakudo number one, Sai!"

Ichigo cried out as he dropped to the floor, promptly followed by a grunt as Rukia plopped down on his back, making no attempt to be gentle. He closed his eyes and quickly broke the kido, flipping over and ending up face to face with his aggressor. Each held one of the other's wrists, and they struggled briefly before ceasing, with Rukia obliviously on top of Ichigo, who continued to stare into her eyes.

"You didn't come visit…" he looked away, a pink tinge on his face "e-everyone missed you" then under his breath "so much…"

Rukia was at a loss, then sighed and dropped her head under his chin, still somewhat unaware of her own actions. "I missed…everyone too, baka. It's not as though I didn't want to come back, but Ukitake-taicho has been sick, and I have responsibilities here and…"

"And?"

"And you deserved a normal life," She said finally, "and normal boys don't run around with spirit girls and fight monsters. They do homework and play sports and go on dates with living girls who they can settle down and"

"Rukia, shut up."

"N-nani!" She moved to kick him but suddenly became aware of their position, causing her to flush bright red and become unable to move. Ichigo was still, as usual, totally oblivious.

"I never wanted any of that bullshit. I liked my powers. I liked being able to protect you and the rest of the people I care about. When they got taken away I got to be normal and you know what? I hated it!"

"I-Ichigo!"

"I'm not done! I tried day and night to think of a way to get my powers back, but I always figured that you would show up and set me straight! And in the end it was geta-boshi who did that! So next time I give up my one-of-a-kind supernatural abilities to save the world, at least send me a damn _postcard!_"

Rukia forgot all about their position and was hit with a wave of shame.

"Go-Gomenasai…"

"Don't apologize, just…" he made eye contact with her yet again, "just don't stay gone that long again, okay? I missed you." He sighed, scowling slightly. "I suppose it's not as though I would have been able to see you anyway."

"I missed you too, baka." Rukia said before wrapping her small arms around his neck and settling down onto his chest. It was then that Ichigo Kurosaki became acutely aware of three things:

1) Rukia was on top of him and straddling just above his waist. And she was hugging him. And he liked it.

2) There were footsteps coming down the hallway. That he didn't like.

3) If he looked down, he had a fairly good view of Rukia's…cleavage? Huh, that was new. That he _definitely_ liked. Wait, wha-

"_**Oh-ho, King, sneaking a peek?"**_ Yep, his hollow was still there.

"_Shut up!"_

"_**You better get a good look now, because her brother's not gonna be happy when he opens that door, King. Just 'cause you suck as sensing reiatsu doesn't mean I do!"**_

"Oh shit! Ichigo yelled, jumping up as the footsteps got closer.

"Ichigo!" Rukia held on for dear life, her legs not reaching the floor as the shinigami daiko stood, instead wrapping around his hips. "Ichigo let me down!"

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><p>Byakuya Kuchiki was irritated when he sensed that the ryoka boy was in his sister's private quarters. He was unhappy when he heard her cry out and quickened his pace. But when he opened the door and saw his sister with her legs wrapped around Kurosaki and her arms around his neck, a rare thing happened.<p>

Byakuya Kuchiki became absolutely livid.

"Nii-sama! It's not what it looks like!" Rukia jumped down and ran to him, hoping to stay his blade.

"Ah so then it is as I suspected." He replied calmly. "I knew that a princess of the Kuchiki would never willingly perform such inappropriate acts with such an unworthy companion."

"That's right, Nii-sama, we were just talking but then-"  
>"Clearly this ryoka was molesting you!"<p>

"NO WAY I WOULD NEVER-"

"Scatter…"

"Nii-sama no!"

Suddenly the outer wall crashed in and a loud bellowing voice declared:

"FOUND YOU, ICHIGO!"

"Ichi Ichi time to fight!"

Byakuya looked quizzically at the newcomers. "Do you ever properly follow protocol for interaction with others, or are you always this boorish?"

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU JUST ASKED ME BUT I'LL KILL YOU FOR IT YOU NOBLE PRICK!"

Ichigo decided that this was a fine time to grab Rukia and run like hell.

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><p>The pair stepped out of the senkai gate and found themselves hovering high above Karakura Town. They set foot on a nearby rooftop and Ichigo plopped down on his rear, sighing heavily as he threw his weight backwards to face the sky, the noontime sun forcing him to squint. Rukia knelt gracefully at his side as the gate closed behind them.<p>

"Are you okay, Ichigo?"

He merely scoffed before standing and groaning. "Soul Society is frickin nuts."

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><p>Isshin smiled to himself as he felt two presences enter his dimension, and he was sure that Karin had sensed it as well when she dropped her spoon out of her mouth, almost upending the lunch table as she shot out of her chair. "Dad, he's….and Rukia!"<p>

"I know, it's WONDERFUL! My idiot son has returned with my third daughter! Our family will be whole once more….but there are preparations to be made!" He half-spoke-half-yelled as he bounded up the stairs. Even Yuzu could sense the presence of her brother and his companion, looking up from her dishes with a happy smile, and resuming her work so the house could be ready.

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><p>Having already been to Urahara's to obtain a gigai for Rukia, the pair of teenage shinigami strolled through Ichigo's hometown in the general direction of the Kurosaki home. They walked in comfortable silence, content to simply be in one another's presence again. It was Rukia who spoke first as they neared their destination.<br>"Ichigo, about earlier…I should have come back to see you. I-" Ichigo silenced her, grabbing her shoulders and turning her towards him.

"I already told you, don't apologize. I understand why you did what you did, and I don't need to forgive you because I don't hold it against you." He looked away and scratched the back of his head "Knowing that you didn't just forget about me – er, about everyone – that's good enough for me." He smirked at her, earning a smile from his diminutive companion, who grabbed and squeezed his hand.

"Thanks, Ichigo." She paused for a moment before finishing the thought and releasing his fingers. "I missed you too."

"I never said I missed you, midget."

She smiled wider. "You didn't have to. You're not as enigmatic as you think."

Ichigo suddenly felt his groin region overcome with a sharp pain that could only be produced by sudden impact from tiny feet, and fell to the ground with a high-pitched yell.

"And don't call me 'midget'."

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><p>Ishida was walking Inoue home from a simple hollow extermination (both had responded) when he felt the two reiatsus enter Karakura. Orihime had felt it as well, because her brief delight at finding out (from Urahara, of course) that Ichigo's powers had fully returned was overshadowed when she felt not only the shinigami substitute's spiritual pressure but also that of the girl who had given him that job description. She sighed audibly, and Uryuu felt sympathy for the beautiful healer.<p>

_Sorry, Inoue-san_

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><p>Ichigo cautiously opened the door, not wanting to draw the attention of his crazed father. His efforts were in vain, however, as his father and Yuzu jumped out in front of him wearing party hats. Ichigo slapped a palm to his face as Rukia stared like a deer in headlights at the ruckus.<p>

"My dear, sweet third daughter Rukia-chan is back!"

"Rukia-nee you've returned! I baked a cake to celebrate!"

"My…umm…thank you." Rukia replied, completely bewildered. Karin chose that moment to take control by punching her dad in the back of the head. Yuzu scurried out of the room before she could be attacked by her twin.

"Sorry about these two," Karin told the older female, hiding a small smile, "but they were super-pumped when they heard you were back." She turned to her brother "So you have powers again?"

"Yep."

"Hmm. Good." Karin didn't let her words betray the wave of relief washing over her, knowing that her brother once again had his power to protect those that he loved. Just then Yuzu returned, holding a platter that supported a cake almost as large as the young girl herself. Rukia and Ichigo caught sight of it at the same time, and Ichigo groaned while Rukia had a rather opposite reaction.

"OH MY GOSH IT'S SHAPED LIKE CHAPPY!"

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><p>The little family reunion had gone rather as expected, with plenty of catching-up and laughter, mostly at Ichigo and Isshin's expense. After dinner, Yuzu and Karin went upstairs to do their homework, leaving Rukia and Ichigo alone with Isshin. Not wanting to hear about his father's contradictory maxims of safe sex and childbearing, Ichigo began to lead Rukia upstairs.<p>

"Ah, Rukia-chan, may I speak with you a moment?" Isshin called after them, causing the petite girl to spin around while Ichigo shot his father a death glare, silently communicating what _not_ to say to Rukia. "Ichigo, you can go upstairs."

Running a hand through orange locks, Ichigo sighed and sulked up the stairs, stopping short once he was out of his father's sight.

"Isshin-sama, thank you for allowing me to stay in your lovely home!" Rukia said quickly, bowing respectfully. Isshin waved a hand at her.

"Don't be so formal, Rukia-chan…you aren't a guest in this house." He replied, suddenly appearing much older and uncharacteristically serious.

"Nani?"

"Rukia-chan, you aren't our guest, you are family. Yuzu and Karin love having an older sister, and Ichigo certainly doesn't seem to mind having you around, though I doubt he thinks of you as a sister." Isshin said with a smile, earning a somewhat confused look from Rukia. "Please, you may call me Otou-sama if you wish."

Rukia rolled the term around in her head for a brief moment. She had never called _anyone_ Otou-sama, having been orphaned as a baby in Soul Society. She had been adopted by the Kuchiki famiy, but the Kurosaki family had a certain feel that the Kuchiki lacked. The Kuchiki manor was where she lived, slept, bathed, ate…

But the Kurosaki house was _home._

Rukia brightened. "Thank you, Otou-sama!" she replied happily, deciding instantly that she liked using the word.

"That's better." Isshin suddenly seemed to revert to his normal self. "Now, since Yuzu-chan and Karin-chan are growing young ladies, I had to buy them new furniture. Unfortunately there's no room for another bed! I guess you'll have to share a room with my idiot son…"

"That will be fine, Is – ah, Otou-sama"

"Go ahead on up now, Rukia-chan." Rukia nodded and climbed the stairs to Ichigo's room. Just then she heard Ichigo's substitute badge going off and the sound of his window slamming open. She rolled her eyes. That idiot was going to get over-eager and get himself hurt. She let her gigai fall to the hallway floor and flew through the ceiling, hot on Ichigo's trail.

Ichigo felt better than he had in over a year, flying effortlessly from building to building and able to jump off of hardened reishi in the atmosphere was a feeling he had sorely missed. He heard the hollow's roar, and felt its reiatsu. It was a big one. With a smile on his face, he sped towards his destination.

He arrived just in time to see Zennosuke Kurumadani get ripped in half.

**Welp, that's it for chapter 2. For those of you who don't know, Zennosuke is Karakura's currently assigned shinigami, he took Rukia's place after the SS arc. I had to kill him, and you'll see why soon!**

**I'm keeping the IchiRuki more spontaneous and fluffy, as I want to break from the sappy standard that seems to plague post-423 fics. If you read the manga, Ichigo's not depressed. He's not happy that Rukia's gone, but he's not crying and having nightmares either. I picture it as a sort of uncomfortably-accepting peace he has with the whole situation. Honestly I think she would take it harder. Sorry if the pacing was weird. I'm trying to cover a lot of ground in a few chapters, as I've decided that this story is actually going to be a short prologue for my next story. I've got a general plot planned out already, so expect frequent updates. Anyway, it's 4 AM and I'm exhausted so I'm gonna go to bed. See you next time! And if you review, you get faster updates. So do it. Or a hollow may rip you in half. So tell me what you think. Seriously. If you want a new chapter hit the little review link!**


	3. Respite

**After reading manga chapter 459, I was filled with several emotions. The first was happiness, and I (a 6'2" 20 year-old guy) ran around the room clapping and laughing. Then I realized that my story has instantly become extremely non-canon.**

**I was faced with a couple choices. I could shut down and rewrite the story to fit, or I could keep it as its own entity. I decided to do the latter. I never really wanted to hang on to the plot of the manga anyway, let Kubo have his story and I'll have mine. That being said, 459 is amazing so go read it right now. Then come back, and read and review this chapter.**

**I have trouble keeping track of who adds alerts since I check my email primarily on my phone, so I'm only going to do review responses from now on. That being said, thank you to everyone who has added me or this story to your alerts or favorites!**

**Review Responses:**

**apple21: Thanks!**

**Thunder Claw03: Another one of my favorite readers! Thanks for coming back!**

**DarkJason: I never thought of it that way…there are quite a few parallels there!**

**KitElizaKing: I definitely agree, and we'll see a bit of that coming up in the story (and in the manga I hope). I was more referencing the fact the people write these incredibly OOC stories where Ichigo is like cutting himself in the bathtub and crying like a little girl because he can't see Rukia. I think he definitely missed her though. And after reading this week's manga chapter I'm convinced that he was pretty dang unhappy.**

**Twan: Done! Haha.**

**Rukia's Reflection: I love you for reviewing both chapters in a row. Made my day happy! Glad you don't mind the fast pace.**

**lightanddarktwilight: Glad you like it!**

**chappy1000: Byakuya and Isshin are two of my favorite characters to write. I'm thinking of doing a couple Byakuya POV Ichiruki oneshots sometime.**

**LeftHRyder: Thanks for the love! I'm trying to update as often as possible so thanks for the encouragement.**

**Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius: Haha I actually like Zennosuke too, but he had to fall for my story! Glad you liked the Ichiruki!**

**Let me know what you think of this chapter, and of 459. I'm curious.**

**Story Time!**

* * *

><p>Ichigo looked on in shock as Afro-san's tattered body fell to the ground. He hadn't known Zennosuke well, and had been annoyed with him at every interaction, but to see his fellow shinigami fall like that pissed him the hell off. He pulled Zangetsu from his back and flew towards the hollow, which was about his own size. He remembered that humanoid hollows were often more powerful, and his suspicions were confirmed when the enemy caught his blade.<p>

"Ah, you must be the famous Kurosaki _boy_." The hollow spat the last word. "I won't be defeated as the weaklings you fought in Hueco Mundo, and my power surpasses yours by a power of ten, boy!" The hollow pulled Ichigo toward himself by his sword and with an agile kick sent the substitute flying into a nearby wall. "My abilities make your battle strategies useless!"

Ichigo spent a moment to size up his opponent. He was taller than Ichigo, standing at over two meters. Clearly an arrancar. He was wearing clothes like those of the Espada, but his jacket and pants were colored charcoal gray rather than white. His mask was his most striking feature, and it left half of his face looking like its features had been erased, a smooth white contour with no shape or markings. A shock of brown hair popped up from behind the mask. To Ichigo, he really didn't look very hollow drew his zanpakuto. Was this a creation of Aizen? Ichigo ran out of time to think when his enemy released his sword.

"Confesar, Verdad!" The nondescript katana transformed into a spear roughly as long as the arrancar was tall. "I am Amado, now prepare to die!" He leapt toward Ichigo, swinging the spear towards him. Ichigo dodged at the last second, receiving a shallow cut across his arm. Steeling himself, Ichigo shunpoed quickly around Amado, choosing an opening to strike at. He then heard himself yell:

"Left side!"

Amado swung his spear around to the left to deflect Zangetsu, the impact breaking the two combatants apart.

"What the hell!" Ichigo asked, half to himself and half to his enemy.

"Ah, now you see Verdad's abilities. When I strike you, you can't help but speak that which comes into your mind. You'll warn me of every attack! Your special abilities will be revealed to me instantly!"

"That's a pretty lame-ass ability. Compared to the Espada you're a pansy! Don't try to be so dramatic, Ulquiorra or Grmmjow could have easily kicked your ass!"

Amado growled. How dare this boy belittle him? He lunged again at Ichigo, who blocked easily, then heard a third, female voice join the fray.

"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" The voice called out, and Amado found himself frozen from the neck down. The arrancar started to throw a toddler-like fit.

"Dammit! Why can't I have this one victory! Aizen-sama said that my abilities were valuable! I was the best interrogator! I – "

He was cut off when Zangetsu pierced his mask, and Amado quickly faded into nothingness.

"Hey! What's the big idea with you barging in on my fight!" Ichigo asked Rukia as she sheathed Sode no Shirayuki, "I could have beat him no problem. His ability was _making people tell the truth_. That's lame as hell!"

"Yes, you could have handled it, but you probably would have gotten beat up in the process."  
>"Well I'm still mad! But thank you for worrying about me. I would be worried about you too!" Ichigo quickly covered his mouth with his hand, then glanced at the slash on his arm. <em>Shit.<em>

Rukia gave Ichigo a startled look, surprised at his openness, then remembered what he had said about Amado's abilities. The Kuchiki princess grinned evilly.

"Ichigo-_kun_!" She said in her saccharine-sweet "schoolgirl" voice, "Do you think I'm pretty?" She turned to him and batted her eyelashes over her sparkling violet orbs.

"Nope." He replied, then tried in vain to stifle the rest of the sentence, "I think you're beautiful. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

They stared at each other for a moment, both as red as Ichigo's namesake, before remembering Zennosuke. Urahara and Tessai arrived just then, the shopkeeper dropping his fan when he saw the gory sight.

"Yikes…Zennosuke needs some serious help. Tessai!"

The larger man grunted and produced four white stakes from a bag he carried. He place them in the ground in a square formation around Zennosuke, and after he uttered a brief chant he disappeared along with the gravely injured shinigami. Urahara approached the substitute and the noble, producing another fan from somewhere in his sleeve and using it to cover the lower half of his face. "And the two of you, are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Urahara-san." Rukia answered matter-of-factly.

"I just have this cut one my arm, geta-boshi. Also, that hollow had the power to make its victims tell the honest truth and leave nothing out. It's very annoying. I just admitted to Rukia how beautiful she looked. I'm very worried that next I'll tell her she has a great ass." Ichigo grew redder and redder, inwardly cursing Amado. His own hollow howled with laughter in his inner world.

"PERVERT!" Rukia yelled, her face bright pink as she slapped Ichigo square in the face. Urahara chuckled and walked off, leaving them to their quarrel.

_I can't wait to tell Isshin and Yoruichi!_

* * *

><p>"I can't help it! I'm powerless to this guy's abilities! Hopefully it will wear off!" Ichigo was pissed, partially at being uncontrollably talkative but mostly at having revealed his affection for Rukia's rear.<p>

"You shouldn't be thinking perverted thoughts about me!" She turned up her nose and stood a little straighter. "As a member of the Kuchiki family, I should have you imprisoned for saying such awful things!" Rukia was glad that the hollow hadn't cut her, or she'd definitely be making some awkward admissions of her own.

"So you actually play into that noble bullshit now?" Ichigo asked slyly. He didn't feel the urge to say anything much, meaning that the effects of his wound must be wearing off.

"N-No! Of course not!" Her phone began ringing loudly, and she picked up after the second series of musical beeps.

"Hello, Nii-sama…" Ichigo gave her a smirk that said 'I win', earning him a single finger response from Rukia. "Yes…from Ukitake-taicho? REALLY! – I mean, I understand…Of course…thank you, Nii-sama. I'll do my best!" She closed her phone with a beaming smile, her violet eyes sparkling as the evening sun started its descent towards the horizon.

"What was that all about? You're not being forced into an arranged marriage are you?" _Damn it!_

Rukia looked at him quizzically for a moment before closing her eyes and responding nonchalantly. "No, weirdo, but since Kurumadani-san has been incapacitated and sent back to Soul Society by Urahara, someone else has been temporarily assigned to Karakura."

"Mmm. And who would that be?"

Rukia smiled even brighter. "Me."

Ichigo didn't say a word, the effects of Amado's zanpakuto having finally worn off. But his rare, beaming smile said more than words could have anyway.

* * *

><p>Byakuya huffed uncharacteristically, his hand running through his jet black hair. He turned to Ukitake after closing his phone. "Juushiro, are you sure this is a good idea?"<p>

The white-haired man nodded, taking a sip of tea. "Absolutely. Rukia is one of our most experienced shinigami when it comes to the living world. To have her working with Ichigo-kun to repel Aizen's creations will be most beneficial. You can't deny that more of those arrancars will be drawn to Karakura town now that the boy's powers have been released. Besides…" Ukitake smiled, "they make a perfect team, don't you think?"

Byakuya gave a slight grimace and sighed. "That's what I'm worried about."

* * *

><p>When they got back to the house, Rukia retrieved her gigai from the hallway and apologized to Yuzu, who had been a little freaked out upon discovering the girl's lifeless body lying in the hallway at an awkward angle. After borrowing and donning some pajamas, she opened the door to Ichigo's room to find a very irked high-school senior looking at a queen bed that spanned the small space, blocking the closet door.<p>

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU, DAD!" Ichigo yelled. He got no response, of course.

Rukia took two steps and dove onto the new piece of furniture. "It's so soft!"

"You idiot, don't you see the obvious issue here?"

Rukia looked innocently puzzled. "What do you mean? I slept with lots of boys when I grew up in Rukongai! Me and Renji slept together all the time!"

Ichigo's jaw hit the floor. "Don't you know what you're saying!"

"I'm sorry, Ichigo, but I don't know what the big deal is." She got onto her knees on the edge of the bed and reached up, resting the back of her hand against his forehead. "Are you feeling okay? You sure are acting strange!"

"That's not the problem here! That old pervert is trying to get us to…to….to-"

"To what, Ichigo?" Rukia looked up at him, eyes wide with questions.

"Nevermind." He said, exasperated. Oh well. Rukia was too innocent to understand anyway. He climbed onto the bed, relaxing against the headboard with his hands behind his head. Rukia mimicked him, her bare feet only reaching to the top of his knees. He smiled. She was still so short.

He wouldn't have it any other way.

They talked about the past seventeen months, mainly about their mutual friends and all of the small things that had happened over that time. Ichigo left out the unhappiness he had felt at being unable to protect anyone, and Rukia left out her sleepless nights and the reasons she had dived so deeply into her shinigami duties. Before long, they had slipped into comfortable silence, and soon afterwards both were fast asleep. Neither had any trouble sleeping that night.

* * *

><p><strong>Well that's chapter 3. It's a bit rough, but I'm super tired tonight (on account of staying up to write chapter 2 for y'all last night.) It's more of a bridge than anything but I tried to keep it full of fun stuff. The 'truth serum' gag has been used before but I wanted to make Ichigo sweat haha.<strong>

**Just so you know, there won't be too terribly super much IchiRuki in this story. It's there, but I'm saving the real stuff for my next story, which I'm actually going to start after next chapter. So don't expect them to be all making out and getting married in this story haha. I wanted to do a Soul-Society-centric story, and this is really just the prologue to that. I'm setting it all up next chapter, but I don't think any of you will expect what I have coming next time! Anyway, if you review I'll keep up this grueling update schedule. So show me some love and review. And let me know what you'd like to see in an IchiRuki story with a Soul Society setting, I really value your input as my readers. So show me some love and review!**


	4. Remembrance

**Alright, everybody, here it is: the end of **_**After the War**_**. My next story will be started tonight or tomorrow and is going to be a direct sequel. If you want to be notified of its release just add an author alert or PM me your email address. I prefer the former because it's less work for me. Because of the vastly different settings, I wanted to separate the two. Some of you asked how Rukia could be so innocent. The way people age emotionally in Soul Society seems to be indirectly related to their actual "years" age, and more related to their apparent physical age. Even though Rukia is 150+, she looks and acts like a 15-year-old, just like how Hitsugaya has immature moments and a short temper, and Yachiru is a child despite probably being 2 or 3 times Ichigo's age. Rukia and other children raised each other, and when she was adopted she was never really parented. I really think she would have quite a bit to learn and figure out, just as she was naïve about kissing WAYYY early in the manga. I have always pictured Rukia as being extremely modest and innocent. Even Orihime is pretty innocent, despite constant assaults from Keigo and Chizuru.**

**Speaking of Ichigo's high school classmates, I left them out intentionally. They aren't integral to this story. This story is about Ichigo and Rukia. The next story will feature their friends as more prominent characters, despite its new setting. I quite like Orihime and even feel bad for her since Ichigo is so clearly committed to Rukia, so I'm not gonna bash her, kill her, disfigure her, impregnate her, make her infertile, send her to Heuco Mundo permanently, or give her breast cancer (I have seen all of these things in IchiRuki fics haha)**

**I'm pretty proud of this chapter. Probably the best thing I've written fan-fiction wise. (Most of my writing is biology or physics-based, and involves peer-reviewed articles. Meh.)**

**Review Responses today are at the end of the chapter.**

**Anyway, here it goes.**

Isshin slowly crept up the stairs, a devilish grin on his face. He wore a homemade (with a Sharpie and an undershirt) t-shirt that read "My son became a man and all I got was this stupid shirt", and carried an air horn in one hand, ready to celebrate. He slowly pushed open Ichigo's door, turning the handle with stealth that rivaled the abilities of his cat-bodied friend. Ready to cause a giant ruckus and wake the whole family, he instead paused and took in the scene.

Rukia was breathing softly with her head resting on Ichigo's chest, one arm resting across his stomach. She stirred slightly in her sleep, letting out a contented sigh after adjusting her position. Ichigo himself was snoring softly, his limbs akimbo with the exception of his left arm, which was draped over the sleeping Kuchiki. It was summer now, and they hadn't bothered with a blanket. Isshin smiled to himself, a hint of wistfulness crossing his face as he remembered days now long gone. He left the room as quietly as he had entered.

_You're right, Masaki. I should let them sleep a while longer._

Of course, that didn't stop him from snapping a picture or two on his iPhone.

* * *

><p>Ichigo stirred, opening his eyes slightly as the sun rose outside of his window. He inhaled through his nose, detecting something vaguely floral, and yet sweeter and more enthralling than any bloom he had ever smelled. At the same time he became aware of a weight on his chest, and the fact that his arm was wrapped around a small body. Said body began shifting, and before he could react, sleepy violet eyes were looking up at him.<p>

"Oi. Morning, Ichigo." Rukia said with a yawn, earning a startled "M-Morning!" in response. She looked around and noticed their position, and decided that she was too tired to care about how they would normally react to such a thing. She laid her head back down on his chest, taking a deep breath and sighing, all the while being watched by an incredulous Ichigo. "This is…nice." She finally said.

Ichigo smiled before closing his own eyes. "Yeah, it is."

His eyes flew open when he suddenly understood their situation. Coughing and sputtering, he unceremoniously pushed Rukia off of the side of the bed, invoking the wrath of the small girl.

"WHAT THE FUCK, ICHIGO!" She screamed as she fell into the small space between the bed and the closet. "I'm stuck! Help me!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes, then reached down to pull her up.

"Ouch, be gentle, too hard TOO HARD!" she shrieked.

"Sorry, I thought you wanted to be released!" He replied with a smirk.

"Not like that you idiot! You have to be gentle so I have time to adjust myself!"

"This shouldn't be this difficult!"

"Well it's a really, really tight fit!"

With a grunt from Ichigo, Rukia popped free from the space with a scream, the momentum pulling her on top of him. At that moment his door came open and Isshin, Yuzu, and Karin tumbled in holding empty glasses, bright red blushes on the faces of the younger girls. Isshin gave the teenage shinigami a quizzical look.

"How were you becoming a man with your clothes on?"

"PERVERT!"

"Ichigo, what does he mean 'become a man'? Wasn't saving the world manly enough?"

"OH MY DEAR SWEET INNOCENT RUKIA-CHAN! DADDY WILL HAVE TO HAVE A TALK WITH THE TWO OF YOU ABOUT THE BIRDS AND THE BE-" Karin silenced her father with a kick to the head, giving a concilatory look to her brother. Rukia just looked even more confused.

"Birds? Bees? The living world is so strange!"

* * *

><p>Several weeks passed without much incident. Rukia had begun attending Karakura High again, her cover for her absence being an extended stay in America (although a brief English quiz by Ms. Ochi gave the teacher some doubt about the story). They had seen their friends several times, but for the most part Ichigo and Rukia kept to themselves, exterminating hollows and conversing about unimportant things. Before long, June 16 had come around, and the family was once again making preparations to visit Masaki's grave on the anniversary of her death. School would be letting out in about a month, and Rukia had recently received some unsettling news.<p>

_Rukia answered the phone as she and Ichigo walked back from school one day. "Moshi moshi!...Ukitake-taicho?...I see…but what if…okay, I understand. Goodbye, Ukitake-taicho." Rukia closed the phone with a huff and a frown._

"_What's up?" Ichigo asked her, already dreading what he guessed the call was about._

"_My mission here is ending. They said that with your summer break starting, you and your friends should be able to handle the hollows that show up around here. After your break, someone else will take my place here." She said in a heavy tone, quickly adding "I don't want to leave, Ichigo!"_

_Ichigo sighed and ran a hand through his orange spikes. "Well, we both knew that you couldn't stay forever…but I didn't think…"_

_Rukia forced herself to smile. "I'll come visit! And I'll get Urahara to give you a spirit phone so we can stay in touch!"_

Ichigo turned his new phone over in his hand, still getting used to carrying the device around. It was a constant reminder that Rukia was leaving shortly, and he really didn't like it. He sat at the table with Rukia and the rest of his family, who were planning things to do on the next day.

"And then we can go to get ice cream at that great shop nearby!" Isshin shouted, "This planning meeting is complete! Family dismissed."

Yuzu and Rukia jumped up with a "Hai!", getting groans out of Karin and Ichigo, who reluctantly followed the other two up the stairs.

* * *

><p>The next afternoon, the Kurosaki family trudged up the hill to the cemetery, Isshin leading Yuzu and Rukia in an odd marching song that Ichigo was sure was being made up on the spot. The young man scowled as he walked, not as depressed as he had been in previous years but still not looking forward to the day. Ever since his talk with his father two years before, and with the knowledge that his father was a shinigami, he felt less responsible for Masaki's death. However, the day still reminded him of why he so needed his power to protect, and of the sadness he felt over losing his mother.<p>

The family set up their picnic dinner in a patch of grass a few hundred feet from the grave site. Yuzu unpacked the large bag Ichigo had carried up the hill, which contained bentos, bottled water, a couple of glass beer bottles (for Isshin, obviously) and several juiceboxes. She handed out the meals and the family ate in silence on the checkered blanket. Rukia struggled briefly with a juicebox, which Ichigo snatched from her, pushing the straw through the foil and handing it back after taking a sip. While the air of sadness was lighter this year, as it became every year, no-one had any misconceptions about why they were there. Masaki Kurosaki had been dead eight years.

* * *

><p>Ichigo walked with Rukia around the cemetery grounds, opting as usual to visit Masaki's grave separately from the rest of the family. He had his hands in the pockets of his jeans, arms framing his "NICE VIBE" tee, and Rukia's blue and white sundress fluttered around her knees in the light breeze. They came upon a clearing where the ground was scarred with deep gashes, the grass oddly dead and discolored.<p>

"Ichigo, this is…"

"Where I fought Grand Fisher."

"I'm sorry, we can go back if-"

"Do you remember what you told me that day? When we met up to save Yuzu and Karin?" Rukia nodded, remembering the conversation.

"_You aren't going to ask anything?"_

"_If I ask, will you answer?"_

"…"

"_It's your problem. A deep, deep problem. I have no right to know. I don't have a method of stepping into the depths of your heart without getting it dirty. So I'll wait. When you want to talk…when you think it's okay to talk…Talk to me. Until that time, I'll wait."_

"I think…I'm ready to talk to you. I think I have been for a long time. Ever since you left…I've been waiting to continue that conversation." He led her to a nearby bench, and they sat together as Ichigo let the words spill out of him.

"When I was a kid, I used to cry all the time. I was in karate with Tatsuki, and I'd get my weakling ass kicked almost every day. I'd cry about it, but my mom could always make me feel better. She just had this effect on everybody she met...her presence was just warm and she made everything feel...okay."  
>Rukia watched Ichigo intently as he shared his story with her.<br>"One day we walked by the river on the way home. I saw a little girl about to fall in. It was raining so the water was high and running fast. I ran down to keep her from falling in. Next thing I knew," he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, "my mother's dead body was on top of me."  
>Rukia gasped quietly, looking at him in shock. <em>It must have been so traumatic...<em>  
>"Now we know that Grand Fisher was the one who killed her. At the time, I had no idea what had happened. I blamed myself, naturally, so from that point on I didn't cry anymore. My mother had died protecting me, and I was going to do whatever I could to protect my family, my friends. I've kept Yuzu and Karin safe. It's how I met Chad. Protecting others has been my MO ever since that day eight years ago, and when you came..."<br>Rukia looked down, ready for him to admit that she ruined his life, despite their conversation at the Kuchiki manor.  
>"You changed my world when you gave me your power, Rukia. I could finally protect the spirits that were seeking me out. You changed me from an angsty teenage punk to a hero. I had the ability to protect everyone I cared so much about. Eventually..." he coughed, awkwardly placing a hand on her arm, "you became one of those people."<p>

"Ichi…go…"

"When Renji and Byakuya took you, when I knew you were going to be executed, it was like losing my mother again. But that time I knew I had the power to fight. I let Urahara shatter my chain of fate, I developed this hollow, to save you, Rukia. Because I couldn't go through the pain of losing someone I cared about again."

Rukia's mind was spinning. She had expected a confession of grief, not…whatever this was. All she could do was cover his hand with her own.

"When I saved you, and you stayed in Soul Society, I was just happy that you okay. But it took your return to snap me out of another funk and give me the strength to fight again. It took you getting wounded by Grimmjow, my inability to protect you, for me to allow Shinji to help me control my hollow. When you fell after your battle with Aaroniero, I abandoned my mission to save Orihime to come after you." His fist clenched, "I thought you were dead. And I never even got a chance to see you, to make sure you were okay, before my powers disappeared, and you along with them. I knew then that I had to get my powers back. When I was a kid, my dad told me that the name "Ichigo" had the meaning "to protect one thing". At the time I wanted to protect my mom. But since we've met, Rukia…"

She looked up at him as he stood from the bench, taking her hands in his as he faced the seated Kuchiki princess.

"That one person I want to protect above all else…is you."

Rukia continued to stare at him, tears streaking her face. "Ichigo…I…" she stood on the bench, using his hands for support, then released his hands to throw her arms around his neck, her soft pink lips laying a feathery kiss on his cheek as her tears wet his shoulder. "Thank you. For saving me. For everything."

Ichigo smiled softly, returning the hug and lightly rubbing her back. "Che…that's my line."

* * *

><p>The two of them walked back to the field where the rest of the Kurosaki family was throwing a frisbee around. All three of them wore smiles, though Yuzu's eyes were red and puffy. It was after 7:00, and the sun was starting to set. Ichigo looked at Rukia, and nodded towards his family. She ran to join them, and Ichigo approached Masaki's grave.<p>

"Hey, Mom." Ichigo said quietly. "Dad told me…about defeating Grand Fisher. I suppose…it was his fight to avenge you after all." He sat on his knees in front of the grave. "Yuzu and Karin have grown a lot, and I'm worried about protecting them from the boys in their middle school. You'd be really proud of them…and I wish you could meet Rukia. You would love her. Everybody loves her…"

"She'd be proud of you, son." Ichigo turned to see Isshin, who leaned up against the nearby stone wall, cigarette in one hand, two brown glass bottles in the other. He set one on the wall and tossed the other to Ichigo, who looked at it, puzzled.

"Beer? Dad, I'm not old e-"

"Ichigo, in your seventeen years you have seen more than many see in several lifetimes, and you've saved at least two worlds. I think you can handle a drink."

Ichigo nodded with a grunt as he struggled with the cap, walking over to join Isshin against the waist-high wall. While Ichigo struggled to pop the cap off, Isshin coolly snapped the top of his bottle against the edge of the wall, the cap flying off out of sight. He held his cigarette in his mouth and handed the open bottle to Ichigo, taking his son's sealed beverage and repeating the opening process.

"This year was better." Isshin said in a neutral tone. "I think it gets easier for the girls every time."

"What about you, Dad?"

Isshin closed his eyes, removing his cigarette and exhaling as a sad smile crossed his lips. "Son, when you lose the woman you love, the one you know you're supposed to be with, your soulmate - it never gets easier. But I don't have to tell you that, do I?"

Ichigo responded with a noncommittal grunt, taking a swig of the dark beer. He decided he didn't mind the taste as much as he thought he would. It was bitter, but not offputting. "Why's that, old man?"

Isshin took another puff from his cigarette, ignoring the question. He looked hard at his son. "You hang on to Rukia-chan, you hear me? And don't try to tell me it's not like that because we both know it would be a lie. You promise me that you'll never let anything happen to her. I won't see my son shoulder the sadness of losing the woman he cares about."

"I…I promise, Dad."

"Now promise that you'll always use protection and give me lots of grandchildren!"

Ichigo spit out his drink. "Can't you see that those two things don't go together!"

Isshin chuckled, downing the rest of his beer and dropping his cigarette butt down into the bottle. "I suppose they don't." He slapped Ichigo on the back. "Let's go round up my daughters and get out of this depressing place. Father and son walked off, the former glancing over his shoulder for a brief moment before leaving.

_Until next time, sweetheart._

* * *

><p>Rukia happily licked her frozen treat, strawberry ice cream no less. Ichigo slowly ate a chocolate cone and Yuzu and Karin both had dishes of mint-chocolate chip. Isshin chose something called "crazy vanilla" which was multicolored ice cream that tasted, of course, like vanilla.<p>

"Ichigo, I think _strawberry_ is my favorite kind of iced dreams!" Karin, Yuzu, and Isshin all laughed at her obvious pun and mispronunciation of the food she was enjoying.

"It's 'ICE – CREAM', midget."

She stomped on his toes, getting a shout out of Ichigo who now jumped around holding his foot, ice cream all over his shirt. "What have I said about that word, strawberry?"

Ichigo sighed. There was no way he would ever stop calling her that, and he would probably keep getting abused for it. Hopefully for a very long time.

The Kurosaki family left the shop, crossing the street as they walked home. Ichigo brought up the rear, and with Rukia in front of him he couldn't help letting his eyes drift below her waist.

He never saw the truck.

To anyone else, it probably looked like a tragic accident. A young boy probably about to graduate high school, sprawled out on the road, body broken and bent at an odd angle. The driver was long gone, and a petite young girl with shoulder-length black hair in a blue and white sundress – perhaps the boy's girlfriend – seemed to have passed out, caught by a man who was obviously the boy's father. His sisters looked more confused than sad, since both could see Ichigo's soul form, but to anyone watching they would have seemed like rather heartless little girls, nonchalant about the gory scene before them.

In reality, Ichigo was struggling to get back into his body, his soul form not wearing his usual shinigami clothes, instead clad in jeans and a t-shirt. However, no chain extended from his chest. Rukia had left her gigai and was trying to help him get back in, but their efforts were in vain.

"Ichigo," she laughed nervously, "I think you just died!"

"WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK? WHERE'S ZANGETSU!"

"_I'm right here, Ichigo."_ The spirit of his sword materialized in front of him. "_Your powers were already starting to overwhelm your body, and the physical trauma seems to have accelerated the process. You are, by human standards, dead. "_

Rukia gaped. She was able to see Ichigo's zanpakuto spirit right in front of her! She felt Sode no Shirayuki stirring in her sheath.

"_Although no chain of fate is attached to your chest, a shinigami will have to perform konso to send you to Soul Society. I can protect your powers and memories so that you arrive in Soul Society as a shinigami." _The sword spirit turned to Rukia. _ "Miss Kuchiki, I would request that you do the honors. And please, say hello to Shirayuki for me."_ Zangetsu disappeared as quickly as he had arrived. Ichigo's human body began to fade into reishi, having already been overloaded with spiritual power. The bystanders were causing quite a fuss at this point, and Isshin was readying his memory modifier while he explained to Yuzu (who couldn't hear Zangetsu very well) what was happening, and that Ichigo was going to be fine. Ichigo himself stood in the middle of the street, facing the shinigami he had first seen not far from here two years before.

"Well, shinigami, I guess this is it." He said with a smirk, imitating other pluses they had konsoed over their time together. "I am _ready to move on_, I suppose." He chuckled.

"Not shinigami." She smiled as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. "Kuchiki Rukia." She corrected him as she drew Sode no Shirayuki from her sheath.

"See you on the other side." Ichigo said as the hilt most beautiful zanpakuto in Soul Society was pressed against his head by the most beautiful woman in any world he had visited. He looked up to see the konso symbol shine from his forehead, then disappeared in a cloud of reishi.

"We'll go together." She whispered as she followed his hell butterfly through the senkai gate.

**Whooo! The story's done! I hope y'all enjoyed it! And I hope the end surprised you! The sequel is going to be out by next week, depending on when I get the first couple of chapters done. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! If you have any ideas or suggestions you'd like to see in the upcoming story, don't be afraid to share them. It's going to be a fairly long Soul Society-centric story, and it'll be loads of fun with loads of IchiRuki.**

**Ichigo's speech was taken almost entirely from the [6/17] story in the manga and the side story from the arrancar arc that depicts Ichigo and Rukia right before she's sent to the living world. The Grand Fisher story was when I first realized that Ichigo and Rukia were made for each other (I have been a bleach fan since the anime was first subbed, although now I read the manga and only watch the anime for things I want to see animated, like the battle with Aizen.) and I really wanted to incorporate that into this chapter. Anyway I'm trying to get to bed before 4 so here are review responses.**

**chappy1000: Glad you liked the butt jokes, it got Ichigo into quite a pickle in this chapter XD. I know, 459 was amazing.**

**Twan: You are literally the reason I had to put review responses here, you guessed my plot device. Dammit. haha.**

**Mr. Kiwi: Ahhh I remember you! Glad you like it! And thanks!**

**LeftHRyder: Oh, Byakuya-bo will be getting plenty of gray hairs in the next story! Glad you liked my little gags haha.**

**KitElizaKing: I responded to you and several other readers about Rukia's demeanor at the beginning of the chapter, but I admit I definitely took a bit of license with it. I didn't want to overuse the truth serum gag because it has been done before. Next story will have plenty of fun and embarrassing moments, though.**

**SasuSaku1015: Wow, wall of text. I love you for that, long reviews are great! And I'm honored to be considered 'decent'! I know this story is rus hed, but it's meant to be a prologue to its sequel. I really tried to really have a good "family" scene here with Isshin and Ichigo, and Yuzu and Karin will be more prevalent in the next story. I actually find them much easier to write when they aren't always around. I really appreciate the encouragement and don't stop reviewing!**

**Music4Chicken: Thanks! Glad to hear it was in character!**

**Seirin-taichou: Thanks, but I don't bash Inoue haha! I did see 459 the minute it came out, I actually had a feeling that it would happen being that it's the 10****th**** anniversary of Bleach this month!**

**sakai-230: Glad you liked it, check out the new story when it comes out!**

**So that's it! Two more quick things:**

**Please review, let me know what you'd like to see in a new story, yada yada. I wrote this pretty much as I went along but the next story has somewhat of a framework of a plot.**

**If you want to know when the new story comes out, add me to Author Alert or shoot me a PM with your email address. I don't care about alerts too much but it's easier for you to know when I update that way!**

**Again, REVIEW, I'm really curious as to what you guys would like to see in the upcoming sequel!**

**Sayonara!**

**-Cero Oscuras**


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